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“Ethicists” insist on fortune makeover for Trump
Canada Free Press ^ | 11/17/16 | A. Dru Kristenev

Posted on 11/17/2016 6:04:41 PM PST by Sean_Anthony

Pensions for having held elected office were never a part of the vision for America and President-elect Trump is emblematic of a return to the American citizen-servant

Demonstrating a lack of understanding of America’s founding principles, a murder (that’s a bunch of cackling crows, for those who don’t know) of philosophizing academics are recommending that President-elect Donald Trump divest himself of his fortune before taking office. Only ignorance of this nation’s founding could prompt individuals, who call themselves ethics experts, to make such a call.

Institutionalized politics has managed to destroy the original intent of anyone seeking to serve, and I emphasize the word, the People by attaining elected office. So twisted has the District of Columbia, and every statehouse or city council chambers become that the Founders’ concept of citizen servants has been wiped out and replaced by office occupiers.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Government; Politics; Society
KEYWORDS: 2016issues; americasfounding; donaldtrump; trumptransition; wealth

1 posted on 11/17/2016 6:04:41 PM PST by Sean_Anthony
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To: Sean_Anthony

So did they think JFK - some say the wealthiest man ever elected president - divest himself of his fortune?


2 posted on 11/17/2016 6:10:20 PM PST by angry elephant (Endangered species in Seattle)
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To: angry elephant

Clinton divested himself of “lack” of fortune before taking office.
Doesn’t matter to them.


3 posted on 11/17/2016 6:11:46 PM PST by Palio di Siena
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To: Sean_Anthony

So, these so-called ethicists think it’s not OK to enter the presidency with any assets but it’s just fine to leave the office worth 100s of millions or billions of dollars more than you came in with?


4 posted on 11/17/2016 6:25:38 PM PST by TigersEye (Congratulations, President Donald J. Trump! - Let's MAGA!!!)
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To: Sean_Anthony
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_Presidents_by_net_worth

List of the top few with net worth in millions of 2016 dollars

George Washington 580
Thomas Jefferson 234
Theodore Roosevelt 138
Andrew Jackson 131
James Madison 112
Lyndon B. Johnson 108
John F. Kennedy 100

(Kennedy's worth was estimated from his share of the family wealth, although he never inherited it)

5 posted on 11/17/2016 6:31:13 PM PST by KarlInOhio (" T'was the witch of November come stealin' " And who could the stealing Witch of November be? Hmm?)
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To: Sean_Anthony

This word “insist” is the purview of tantrum-throwing self-appointed idiots.


6 posted on 11/17/2016 6:32:24 PM PST by Attention Surplus Disorder (I had a cool idea for a new tagline and I forgot it!)
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To: Sean_Anthony

Hillary Clinton went to Washington D.C. and then she made her money.

Donald Trump made his money and then he went to Washington D.C.


7 posted on 11/17/2016 6:36:28 PM PST by Kickass Conservative ( Democracy, two Wolves and one Sheep deciding what's for Dinner.)
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To: Sean_Anthony

This article gets to the heart of the point. Businessmen don’t become office holders because of silly traditions like putting your wealth in a trust. Obviously mayors and State Senators never do this. I see no reason why a billionaire president needs to. Its not like he needs more. Trump should go on leave from his family business for 4 years and run the country. When he is done he should go back. Trump can’t separate himself from a business that makes money licensing his name.


8 posted on 11/17/2016 6:41:33 PM PST by poinq
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To: Kickass Conservative
Hillary Clinton went to Washington D.C. and then she made her money.

Donald Trump made his money and then he went to Washington D.C.

Hear, hear! They are exactly looking thru the wrong end of the telescope.

It would be far more ethical to require people seeking office to do something for society, within society, before assaying to do anything for society within government.

SOME writers have so confounded society with government, as to leave little or no distinction between them; whereas they are not only different, but have different origins. Society is produced by our wants, and government by our wickedness; the former promotes our happiness POSITIVELY by uniting our affections, the latter NEGATIVELY by restraining our vices. The one encourages intercourse, the other creates distinctions. The first is a patron, the last a punisher.

Society in every state is a blessing, but Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one: for when we suffer, or are exposed to the same miseries BY A GOVERNMENT, which we might expect in a country WITHOUT GOVERNMENT, our calamity is heightened by reflecting that we furnish the means by which we suffer. Government, like dress, is the badge of lost innocence; the palaces of kings are built upon the ruins of the bowers of paradise. For were the impulses of conscience clear, uniform and irresistibly obeyed, man would need no other lawgiver; but that not being the case, he finds it necessary to surrender up a part of his property to furnish means for the protection of the rest; and this he is induced to do by the same prudence which in every other case advises him, out of two evils to choose the least. Wherefore, security being the true design and end of government, it unanswerably follows that whatever form thereof appears most likely to ensure it to us, with the least expense and greatest benefit, is preferable to all others. - Thomas Paine, Common Sense (1776)

At the very least we should institute a minimum age requirement for all government offices, even local ones. So that no one would earn a living for a lifetime in politics.

9 posted on 11/17/2016 6:50:12 PM PST by conservatism_IS_compassion ('Liberalism' is a conspiracy against the public by wire-service journalism.)
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To: TigersEye
> So, these so-called ethicists think it’s not OK to enter the presidency with any assets but it’s just fine to leave the office worth 100s of millions or billions of dollars more than you came in with?

Obama first as he heads out of office. I bet they would be shocked how much he will be walking away with. But of course it doesnt matter to them because they agree with his ideaologies. These guys are just nuts. Why even pay any attention to them at all?

10 posted on 11/17/2016 7:01:19 PM PST by jsanders2001
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To: Sean_Anthony

Ok, but them first.


11 posted on 11/17/2016 7:03:27 PM PST by bgill (From theStick to the traditionl CDC site, "We don't know how people are infected with Ebola")
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To: Sean_Anthony

“Taxpayers spent $1.4 billion dollars on everything from staffing, housing, flying and entertaining President Obama and his family last year, according to the author of a new book on taxpayer-funded presidential perks.”

http://nation.foxnews.com/obama-family/2012/09/27/taxpayers-spent-14-billion-obama-family-last-year

That amounted to over $12 BILLION dollars that was spent on them in just 8 years-


12 posted on 11/17/2016 8:39:09 PM PST by Bob434
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To: poinq

His businesses, no, but relinquish control, obviously. But he must have a yuuuuuge investment portfolio and that should go into a blind trust lest he generate Impeachment bait.


13 posted on 11/17/2016 9:03:15 PM PST by NonValueAdded (#DeplorableMe #BitterClinger #HillNO! #MyPresident)
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To: Sean_Anthony

Ironic that they weren’t so concerned about the CF if Hillary had won - she waffled back and forth with lies about stopping foreign donations/shutting down/shut up because we can be trusted.....


14 posted on 11/18/2016 3:54:50 AM PST by trebb (Where in the the hell has my country gone?)
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To: jsanders2001
These guys are just nuts. Why even pay any attention to them at all?

You've got that right. Leftists in general have little to say that's even worthy of a response. If it weren't published, as if it were worth consideration, it wouldn't even be worthy of condemnation.

15 posted on 11/18/2016 12:25:11 PM PST by TigersEye (Congratulations, President Donald J. Trump! - Let's MAGA!!!)
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